From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Dec 31 15:11:58 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 430C2106566B for ; Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:11:58 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from lobo@bsd.com.br) Received: from mail-yx0-f171.google.com (mail-yx0-f171.google.com [209.85.210.171]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 09C088FC1C for ; Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:11:57 +0000 (UTC) Received: by yxe1 with SMTP id 1so11778797yxe.3 for ; Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:11:53 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.150.89.3 with SMTP id m3mr16016645ybb.186.1262272312604; Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:11:52 -0800 (PST) Received: from papi.localnet ([187.78.120.75]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id 22sm5071000ywh.0.2009.12.31.07.11.50 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=RC4-MD5); Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:11:51 -0800 (PST) To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org From: Mario Lobo Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:10:09 -0300 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-Id: <200912311210.10021.lobo@bsd.com.br> Subject: Re: JFYI: VirtualBox stable/unstable setteings (3.0.51.r22902) X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:11:58 -0000 On Wednesday 23 December 2009 02:29:33 Daichi GOTO wrote: > In a month, I have been tried to investigate FreeBSD system > stable/unstable situations and factors around VirtualBox > bacause frequently my VirtualBox let FreeBSD freeze, panic > and fatal trap. > > I guess my report is not strict comprehensive, but it's useful > and helpful for everyone who wants to use VirtualBox on FreeBSD. > > Tested environment: > host os: FreeBSD 9-current amd64 (among 12/2009) > virtualbox: virtualbox-3.0.51.r22902_3 > cpu: Intel Core2 Quad Q9550 > mem: 8GB > video: GeForce 9800 GT > > Kernel settings: > - Vimage lets FreeBSD freeze within VirtualBox bridge > networking feature. > > VirtualBox settings: > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > | | effects on the host os stability| > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > | ACPI | NO | > | IO APIC | NO | > | PAE/NX | (not checked) | > | Core numbers | YES (*1) | > | VT-x/AMD-V | NO | > | nested paging | (not checked) | > | 3D acceleration | (not checked) | > | IDE controller type | NO | > | Additional controller | NO | > | CD/DVD drive host | NO | > | CD/DVD drive image file | NO | > | FDD drive host | (not checked) | > | FDD drive image file | (not checked) | > | Audio | (not checked) | > | Network adapter type | NO | > | Network NAT | NO | > | Network bridge | NO | > | Network inner network | (not checked) | > | Network host only | (not checked) | > | Serial port | (not checked) | > | share folder | (not checked) | > | Guest OS sort | NO | > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > (*1) Multicore attached virtual environment easily and frequently > lets FreeBSD freeze. > > Hardware health: > - Weakened PC power unit or less-power power unit leads PC > very unstable condition. If you encounter non-reproducible > error or panic, you should better to check your PC power unit. > > - Unstable memory leads FreeBSD system panic and fatal trap. > If you encounter "segmentaion fault", "panic" or "fatal trap" > error, shutdown system and check your PC memory health with > memtest86+. (Ubuntu install CD has memtest86+ feature. > Using Ubuntu as memetest86+ checker is reasonable way). > If you have luck, updating BIOS and set DRAM settings for > stable resolves this issue. > > - Hard Disk should be health. Check your disk status by > smartmontools (sysutils/smartmontools). > > Driver: > - NVIDIA driver (x11/nvidia-driver, nvidia-driver-195.22) leads > FreeBSD freeze non-reproducibly. If you use both > NVIDIA driver and VirtualBox along with non-reproducible > FreeBSD freeze, use nv driver instead. > > > Recap points: > - Check your PC health first, especially for Power unit, > memory and Hard disk. > - Remove Vimage if you want to use bridge networking feature > of VirtualBox. > - Use nv driver instead of nvidia-driver if you have FreeBSD > non-reproducible freeze problem with nvidia-driver. > What I have found out in all the time I've been testing is that, at least on my system here, the problem with VBox/Nvidia IS definitely with OpenGL. If I leave the KDE composite option as XRENDER, I can open up to 6 VMs without any freeze. All of them with 2 CPUs, 3D accel enabled an all. But all I need to do to freeze the machine is to start ANY OpenGL app and let it run for about a minute. It can even be one of the GL screensavers. It is a guarantied freeze ! I have tried all sorts of combinations: nvidia.ko last, vboxdrv.ko last, no linux.ko, with powerd, no powerd, etc..., etc... No matter what, if it involves OpenGL, bang !! if it doesn't, it's OK. What I also noticed, monitoring my machine from another terminal on the LAN (systat -vm 1) is 200K in page faults at the freezing moment and free memory on gkrellm is practically zero, no matter if I have 1 or 6 VMs running. I can't say if it is KDE, Vbox or nvidia because not even ping from the remote terminal works. Other than that, It works great. Machine: OS: FreeBSD 8.0-STABLE #0 r198930M: Sat Dec 12 12:49:49 BRT 2009 MB: AOD790GX/128M VB: nvidia0: on vgapci0 RAM: 8 G CPU: Phenom 955 black (II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation" compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0 Module class: X.Org Video Driver (II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver 195.22 Mon Nov 30 14:03:12 posix/SystemV/PST 2009 (II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs X: X.Org X Server 1.6.1 KDE: 4.3.4 -- Mario Lobo http://www.mallavoodoo.com.br FreeBSD since version 2.2.8 [not Pro-Audio.... YET!!] (99,7% winfoes FREE)